On Agent Kristen's blog she talks about writer's who start their story in the wrong place, people that have talent but do not yet know that they have started with backstory, that they are not moving their story forward, ect. Apparently this happens a lot. Do you think that you have started your story where it really begins? Are you just putting your characters in situations that have nothing to do with what your story is really about? If you think that is a possibility you might want to read her post.
It makes me wonder how many agents reject because of this and if I might have a problem with the same thing. So I have made a note to myself to pay close attention to what my characters are doing and making sure the beginning chapters matter just as much as the rest.
How many of you watch where you start your story? How many of you start with your actual story? Do you know if you are moving your story forward? Can you tell when you are including too much backstory?
This may sound like something quite simple to avoid, but almost all writers fail at this. All the more reason for us to make our manuscripts shine, beginning and end.
Showing posts with label Starting a project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starting a project. Show all posts
Monday, May 3, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Planning the YA novel
That's right. I just finished my last project and I'm already getting to work on the next thing on my list. It seems that lately I can't go more then two days without writing something. I just get too twitchy.
And that brings me to the topic of the day. Pre writing. It is one of the most important parts of the process for me, for many different reasons. It reminds me what I want my story to be about, it gives me an idea of the major conflicts and who the characters are, ect. If I didn't do any pre writing before the actual writing...well, I've already seen where that gets me. I never finished anything. I also noticed my work is much cleaner, much more interesting to read.
Plus, it is one of the funnest parts of writing a novel. When an idea is fresh in your mind and keeps you up at night...that is the best feeling in the world. But maybe that is just me. But this is also where I get freaked out because I always seem to forget before I write exactly how much work this is.
Starting a project is hard, but once I get going it gets much easier.
So, do you do any pre writing before you start a new project? Or do you just dive in and go wherever the story takes you? I can see many reasons to do either, but I don't think I was born to be a panster. Some people don't need to plan at all and can make a story sing, but that's not me.
Is pre writing important? Do you do it because you love it or is it because you know its needed?
And that brings me to the topic of the day. Pre writing. It is one of the most important parts of the process for me, for many different reasons. It reminds me what I want my story to be about, it gives me an idea of the major conflicts and who the characters are, ect. If I didn't do any pre writing before the actual writing...well, I've already seen where that gets me. I never finished anything. I also noticed my work is much cleaner, much more interesting to read.
Plus, it is one of the funnest parts of writing a novel. When an idea is fresh in your mind and keeps you up at night...that is the best feeling in the world. But maybe that is just me. But this is also where I get freaked out because I always seem to forget before I write exactly how much work this is.
Starting a project is hard, but once I get going it gets much easier.
So, do you do any pre writing before you start a new project? Or do you just dive in and go wherever the story takes you? I can see many reasons to do either, but I don't think I was born to be a panster. Some people don't need to plan at all and can make a story sing, but that's not me.
Is pre writing important? Do you do it because you love it or is it because you know its needed?
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